Where did Hotch go in season 12?
In episode 12.6 titled "Elliott's Pond" it is revealed that Hotchner is leaving his post as longtime head of the BAU after discovering that serial killer Peter Lewis (Bodhi Elfman) is stalking Jack. Hotchner decides to enter the Witness Protection Program with his son to keep him safe.
Hotch was the BAU's unit chief, leading the team in its investigations. However, Gibson was written out of the show in season 12 after a shocking moment occurred behind the scenes.
After 12 seasons as one of the only remaining original cast members, actor Thomas Gibson was fired from Criminal Minds, with FBI Special Agent Aaron Hotchner being written out of the series.
Gibson's last episode of Criminal Minds aired on CBS on Wednesday, Oct. 5 and there wasn't much fanfare. "Sick Day," the second episode of season 12, featured A.J. Cook's JJ predominately as she recounted the harrowing events of a case to her husband (Bill Stewart).
Thomas Gibson, who played Aaron Hotchner, would not be returning for the final season. Messer revealed that Shemar Moore, who played Derek Morgan, would also not be returning for the final season.
Plenty of actors departed Criminal Minds in its 15-season run, but Gibson's leave sparked the most controversy. Hotch was written off the CBS procedural because Gibson was fired following reports of an altercation on set.
Jareau was written out of the show after Cook was let go at the beginning of season six, for financial reasons relating to the premiere of the spin-off Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior.
So, what happened to Hotch on 'Criminal Minds'? At the start of Season 12, Hotch was said to have gone on a "special assignment," which effectively took him off the show and away from the other characters for the foreseeable future at the time.
Opening up to Deadline (opens in new tab), the show's executive producer Erica Messer said that schedule-wise it was very difficult for Matthew to come back as Spencer Reid in Criminal Minds: Evolution. “He's been doing other projects and a lot of those were lining up during our window.
Prentiss, with a little persuasion from friends Jennifer “J.J.” Jareau (A.J. Cook) and Dr. Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler), finally accepted the promotion. Several fans had guessed that Prentiss would replace Hotch.
What happens to Hotch's son?
In "Elliott's Pond", it is revealed that Jack was being actively stalked by an unsub that his father captured but later escaped from prison. As a result, both him and Hotch had to go into witness protection, and Hotch officially resigned from his position in the BAU, not wanting to further endanger his son.
Spencer Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) is not returning for the 16th season, especially considering how prominent he was in Criminal Minds proper. There's a reason for this Reid-shaped gap in the show (and it's not just because he's a fan favorite).
So despite the narrative opportunity to bring Hotch back, it's safe to say that Paramount+'s Criminal Minds season 16 will not see his return.
On the series finale of “Criminal Minds,” which aired between 2005 and 2020 on CBS, the lead characters celebrated the departure of Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), who left the Behavioral Analysis Unit to explore less-murderous pastures.
| Special Agent Dr. Spencer Reid | |
|---|---|
| Criminal Minds character | |
| Matthew Gray Gubler as Dr. Spencer Reid | |
| First appearance | "Extreme Aggressor" 1x01, September 22, 2005 |
| Last appearance | "And in the End" 15x10, February 19, 2020 |
Gideon, however, takes the role of Senior Agent while Hotch regains the title as the team's leader.
Mandy Patinkin abruptly left the show in 2007, just as his character abruptly quit from the BAU, due to emotional distress. In 2012, Patinkin opened up about why he left stating that the show "was very destructive to my soul and my personality.
When Hotch and JJ told the team they'd faked Prentiss's death in "Proof", Reid became very upset with JJ. He told her he felt betrayed because he "came to her house for ten weeks, crying" and she didn't say anything. He also mentions that he considered taking Dilaudid again after Prentiss "died".
...
| Jordan Todd | |
|---|---|
| Actor | Meta Golding |
| Gender | Female |
| Hair | Brown |
| Occupation | Counter Terrorism Division Agent FBI Agent (Formerly) |
Did JJ cheat on Will?
Erica Messer wants to set the record straight: JJ and Cruz are not having an affair on Criminal Minds. "I'll say it again: They did not and are not having an affair," the showrunner tells TVGuide.com.
There you have it, Morgan and Hotch hate each other in real life. We'll give you a moment… Smooth abs Shemar left the the hit series in March after 12 seasons. This video is another shot fired in a long-standing feud between the two actors.
The long-running CBS crime drama Criminal Minds aired its 15th and final season in 2020. Though ratings and viewership dropped toward the final season, the program retained a dedicated fan base until the very end. To their chagrin, CBS would not renew Criminal Minds for a 16th season.
In the Season Eleven finale episode The Storm, Aaron Hotchner was the victim of swatting committed by a group of anarchists, who hoped to divert the attention of the BAU and other authorities from their scheme of breaking their leader Eric Rawdon out of prison and commit a terrorist attack against the U.S.
After his traumatic experience in Mexico, he was put on probation and was asked to take mandatory leaves wherein he devoted his time teaching. This seemed like a justified reason for Gubler to miss several episodes of the show then as his absence was baked into the series' story.
Actor Matthew Gray Gubler, who played Dr. Spencer Reid on Criminal Minds, hasn't commented on being missing from the reboot, but Paget Brewster has confirmed the reason why. Apparently, Reid is absent from the Criminal Minds reboot because Gubler wants to venture out in his career.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Jackson County judge sentenced former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid to three years in prison Tuesday.
At the Season 4 episode "... And Back", the Reaper surprises Hotchner at his house and shoots him off-screen.
Hotch empties a clip into the hidden figure, who turns out to be Foyet wearing a bulletproof vest. Foyet falls to the floor and the two men engage in a brutal hand-to-hand fight. Hotch beats Foyet to death, even after Foyet surrenders.
'Criminal Minds' on Paramount+
As Deadline announced in early February, Matthew isn't slated to make a grand return, leaving Spencer in the dust ... for now. That said, just because he isn't in the first two episodes, it doesn't mean his presence won't be felt in the reboot.
What is the saddest episode of Criminal Minds?
'Criminal Minds' Season 5 Episode 9, '100'
Many fans would likely agree that “100” is the absolute saddest episode in Criminal Minds history. Psychopathic serial killer George Foyet (C. Thomas Howell), also known as The Reaper, gets ahold of Aaron Hotchner's (Thomas Gibson) ex-wife and son.
Unlike some other shocking Criminal Minds character exits, there was no behind-the-scenes drama involved with why Morgan left Criminal Minds, with the actor simply deciding that after eleven seasons it was time to leave. He felt he'd explored every facet of Morgan as a character, and he wanted to pursue other projects.
Hotch's commitment to the BAU led to the end of his marriage in Season 3 after he choose not to transfer to a friendly 9-to-5 job, and then eventually to Haley's murder. He's giving up the BAU not just for Jack, but for Haley too.
On October 12, 2017, it was announced that Shemar Moore would reprise his role as Derek Morgan in the fifth episode of the season ("Lucky Strikes"). His character returned to help Penelope Garcia get through a tough time.
Adam Rodriguez will replace Shemar Moore on Criminal Minds, but Derek Morgan is irreplaceable in Reid's heart. We already know that Reid (Matthew Gray Gubler) is not over his BFF's departure -- and he still won't be when Season 12 premieres in the fall.
The actor did make guest appearances in seasons 12 and 13, but he never came back after that. His absence from the Criminal Minds series finale in 2020 seemingly put the final nail in the coffin that Derek Morgan would ever return to the BAU.
Hotch never returned to the series after appearing in two episodes of season 12, and it was a shock to fans. But the BAU was told after some time that Hotchner's son, Jack, was being stalked, so they were in witness protection now, according to Country Living.
Of course, this leaves Matthew Gray Gubler (Spencer Reid), Daniel Henney (Matt Simmons), Shemar Moore (Derek Morgan), and Thomas Gibson (Aaron Hotchner) as not marked to return. Moore and Gibson both left the show before it ended. Moore went on to star in S.W.A.T while Gibson left due to a disagreement with a producer.
Criminal Minds was renewed for a thirteenth season with an episode order of 22 episodes on April 7, 2017. The entire main cast from the previous season returned for the season, except Damon Gupton (Stephen Walker), who was fired from the show.
The incident occurred during filming for season 12, according to Entertainment Weekly. ABC Studios reportedly conducted an internal review and concluded Thomas would not return.
Why is Reid not in season 16?
“He's been doing other projects and a lot of those were lining up during our window. Our window of shooting was just August to December 2. It was the same with Daniel Henney, who was working on The Wheel of Time. So I wasn't able to get them, but I could get the six other cast members.
' Brace yourselves, Criminal Minds fans. Shemar Moore is officially being replaced on the show. After a successful 11-year run on the popular drama series, Shemar Moore confirmed his exit back in March and actor Adam Rodriguez will now be joining the cast to fill the void.
Joe Mantegna, A.J. Cook, Kirsten Vangsness, Aisha Tyler, Adam Rodriguez and Paget Brewster have already signed on to the series reboot, in addition to new cast members as well. One of those new members is Zach Gilford, from Friday Night Lights fame.
The reason for Gubler's absence in the Criminal Minds reboot is essentially the same reason why he missed several episodes in season 14. After years of being in the show, he wanted to venture out and do something else.
For those who are curious, this absence is related mostly to Gubler's contract, which enables him to do this show while also take on some other projects. He loves to play Reid on the show, but at the same exact time wants to have some other opportunities here and there.
On the series finale of “Criminal Minds,” which aired between 2005 and 2020 on CBS, the lead characters celebrated the departure of Penelope Garcia (Kirsten Vangsness), who left the Behavioral Analysis Unit to explore less-murderous pastures.
Although Aaron Hotchner (Thomas Gibson) and Emily Prentiss (Paget Brewster) never got together on Criminal Minds, executive producer Erica Messer planned their final scene for fans who always hoped they would.
Derek Morgan is a former Supervisory Special Agent with the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit. For a time, he was the acting unit chief of the BAU, taking over as Hotch stepped down temporally.
After Barnes' rejection, JJ rightly got the real BAU back together to pursue the case as all the former members, unfulfilled in their new roles, ran back to participate.
